Saw this on Keith Lancaster's blog and thought it was great. Time never stops. It marches on. No one stands still.
One year in 40 seconds from Eirik Solheim on Vimeo.
Jet Lag and Computers
I returned from Sydney to LA lst Friday. Everything was going so well. I thought I had finally conquered the jet lag monster. Then night before last I could get to sleep until 3 am and then last night not until 4:30am. Despite this I am feeling positive about tonight.
You never realize how much you rely upon your computer. Admittedly I knew I used by Mac for a lot of my work but when I upgraded and not all of my programs didn't transfer over as smoothly as I thought they would I was sent into a world of frustration. Life for a preacher seems to grind to a halt in many areas without MS Office, Online Bible and Dreamweaver. Pathetic isn't it. Anyhow I have once again been victorious and tammed the menacing Mac. Only took me 4 days.
God is going to give me and my church a new year. I am assuming this. A new year. Another chance to grow and develop. Another chance to follow Him more closely. Another year in the kingdom.
You never realize how much you rely upon your computer. Admittedly I knew I used by Mac for a lot of my work but when I upgraded and not all of my programs didn't transfer over as smoothly as I thought they would I was sent into a world of frustration. Life for a preacher seems to grind to a halt in many areas without MS Office, Online Bible and Dreamweaver. Pathetic isn't it. Anyhow I have once again been victorious and tammed the menacing Mac. Only took me 4 days.
God is going to give me and my church a new year. I am assuming this. A new year. Another chance to grow and develop. Another chance to follow Him more closely. Another year in the kingdom.
Australian Vacation
I am in Sydney until the 25th. It has been a relaxing time so far. Hung out with my sons. Visited friends. Preached at the Northside Church last Sunday. They also had a Christmas party which was great fun. Finalized Christmas plans. Having lunch with my younger brother today in the city. Haven't seen him since mum passed back in July.
I'm also catching up on learning Flash which I have been trying to do for a couple of years now. If I succeed my websites may start to look a little flashier. Pardon the pun.
Have a blessed Christmas and may the new year hold great things for you in the kingdom.
I'm also catching up on learning Flash which I have been trying to do for a couple of years now. If I succeed my websites may start to look a little flashier. Pardon the pun.
Have a blessed Christmas and may the new year hold great things for you in the kingdom.
In a land down under
Landed in Sydney yesterday. Boiling hot Summer day. Going from northern hemisphere winter to southern hemisphere summer always amazes me. The difference between LA and Sydney isn't that great but it still is weird.
I am enjoying the time off from my usual responsibilities. As usual I have eaten most of the Aussie junk food that I miss and now I feel sick. When will I learn?
Looking forward to what the Lord has in store for me this time.
I am enjoying the time off from my usual responsibilities. As usual I have eaten most of the Aussie junk food that I miss and now I feel sick. When will I learn?
Looking forward to what the Lord has in store for me this time.
Turning 52
We number our years. Every year of our life someone has made a big deal of the date we were born into the world. Even if we wanted to ignore we couldn't. It is so much a part of our culture that to ignore is useless.
It is my annual turn to tick over another numeral. A thought occurred to me today. God made me and I think it would have been pretty good if this concoction of water and a few bucks of chemicals last a few years. But 52 years. What last that long in our lives. Our cars? Not even close. Our homes. Maybe, but we move so much that most of us aren't in the same house very long. Our jobs. Hardly. I have been blessed to work in ministry for 33 years but with many churches.
But for 52 years I have been living in this body and it is still going well. The mind and soul are getting a little wiser. The bones and muscles ache a little more now, even with very little exercise. But if my body had come with a 52 year warranty I wouldn't have been able to make a claim yet.
God makes things a whole lot better than we do. He makes imperfect things that work well for decades. Our amazing bodies are extraordinary evidence of a designer behind all the life that is in them.
Nature, evolution, blind chance don't get the glory. God gets the glory. Giving Him the glory is the purpose of this body and soul.
It is my annual turn to tick over another numeral. A thought occurred to me today. God made me and I think it would have been pretty good if this concoction of water and a few bucks of chemicals last a few years. But 52 years. What last that long in our lives. Our cars? Not even close. Our homes. Maybe, but we move so much that most of us aren't in the same house very long. Our jobs. Hardly. I have been blessed to work in ministry for 33 years but with many churches.
But for 52 years I have been living in this body and it is still going well. The mind and soul are getting a little wiser. The bones and muscles ache a little more now, even with very little exercise. But if my body had come with a 52 year warranty I wouldn't have been able to make a claim yet.
God makes things a whole lot better than we do. He makes imperfect things that work well for decades. Our amazing bodies are extraordinary evidence of a designer behind all the life that is in them.
Nature, evolution, blind chance don't get the glory. God gets the glory. Giving Him the glory is the purpose of this body and soul.
Times Are Tough
Each day the news seems to be bad or it seems to be contentious. The economic outlook is very negative indeed. Unemployment rising. Credit evaporating. Foreclosures in the millions. It’s just not very good news when you open the paper or when you turn on the TV.
Some might be forgiven for making the mistake of thinking that this spells bad news for the church. This is the best time for God’s kingdom. I am not just being optimistic. I am being realistic. I am not just trying to make good of a bad situation. I am teaching the clear biblical truth that when things in the world start to fall apart, it is then that the kingdom of God really gets to shine.
It is one thing to be happy and positive when everybody is rejoicing because of their successes. Anyone can do that. It is a godly thing to continue to rejoice even when successes are few and far between. It is in these dark days that the church gets to really be the church. This is our time to shine.
Why? Because we are people who live by faith in Jesus Christ. “… I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20. That has always been the key dynamic in the life of the disciple of Jesus. “We live by faith, not by sight.” 2 Corinthians 5:7.
God says that we are people who do not find our security and feeling of well being just in a healthy bank account, a stable job or times of peace. He is not saying that these things have no value. When we have them they are blessings. What He is saying is that when we walk by the power of our own finances we are walking by sight. When we walk with His financial blessing of us as our only hope we begin to walk by faith.
Shining in the darkness. Walking by faith. This is not blind and irresponsible idealism. It is the most realistic approach to a life that was given to you and me by the invisible God who demands that we walk as though He is right next to us holding our hand. He says He is right next to us. “… And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”” Matthew 28:20. Do you believe that He is? This is where the proverbial rubber and the pavement meet. Do you believe? If you do then you can walk by faith. It you don’t you will continue to walk by sight and you will deny yourself the life that He promised you.
Walking by faith is giving yourself first. Paul wanted to brag about churches in Maceonia. What he said about them is what walking by faith is all about. “Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints. And they did not do as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us in keeping with God’s will.” 2 Corinthians 8:2-5.
Severe trials. Times were tough. What did they do? Close up their hearts and wallets and try to weather the storm? They chose to be generous with their money during tough times. Not even Paul had expected them to do this. He should have had more hope, but he didn’t. But he was glad to reveal his mistake and reveal their faith.
Where did their faith begin? On the trip to the ATM to get the money to give? No. In their analysis of their finances? No. It began when they sat down with Jesus once again and gave themselves to Him once again. A lot of money was involved but this was not financial question. This was a faith question. And they answered that question with Jesus and an urgent pleading to be allowed to give to help the Christians in Jerusalem.
The church, you and I, are at our best when we respond with faith in Jesus when all around us are despairing. As the world get’s darker and darker the light we shine gets brighter and brighter. Listen to how God describes us. “Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.” 1 Peter 2:10-12.
What about you? Is this just Christian rhetoric or is it the truth? Is it time for us to shine brighter than ever? Is it time to be more generous than ever? Is it time for us to recommit ourselves to our savior and proclaim to the world that He is the only true hope?
Some might be forgiven for making the mistake of thinking that this spells bad news for the church. This is the best time for God’s kingdom. I am not just being optimistic. I am being realistic. I am not just trying to make good of a bad situation. I am teaching the clear biblical truth that when things in the world start to fall apart, it is then that the kingdom of God really gets to shine.
It is one thing to be happy and positive when everybody is rejoicing because of their successes. Anyone can do that. It is a godly thing to continue to rejoice even when successes are few and far between. It is in these dark days that the church gets to really be the church. This is our time to shine.
Why? Because we are people who live by faith in Jesus Christ. “… I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20. That has always been the key dynamic in the life of the disciple of Jesus. “We live by faith, not by sight.” 2 Corinthians 5:7.
God says that we are people who do not find our security and feeling of well being just in a healthy bank account, a stable job or times of peace. He is not saying that these things have no value. When we have them they are blessings. What He is saying is that when we walk by the power of our own finances we are walking by sight. When we walk with His financial blessing of us as our only hope we begin to walk by faith.
Shining in the darkness. Walking by faith. This is not blind and irresponsible idealism. It is the most realistic approach to a life that was given to you and me by the invisible God who demands that we walk as though He is right next to us holding our hand. He says He is right next to us. “… And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”” Matthew 28:20. Do you believe that He is? This is where the proverbial rubber and the pavement meet. Do you believe? If you do then you can walk by faith. It you don’t you will continue to walk by sight and you will deny yourself the life that He promised you.
Walking by faith is giving yourself first. Paul wanted to brag about churches in Maceonia. What he said about them is what walking by faith is all about. “Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints. And they did not do as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us in keeping with God’s will.” 2 Corinthians 8:2-5.
Severe trials. Times were tough. What did they do? Close up their hearts and wallets and try to weather the storm? They chose to be generous with their money during tough times. Not even Paul had expected them to do this. He should have had more hope, but he didn’t. But he was glad to reveal his mistake and reveal their faith.
Where did their faith begin? On the trip to the ATM to get the money to give? No. In their analysis of their finances? No. It began when they sat down with Jesus once again and gave themselves to Him once again. A lot of money was involved but this was not financial question. This was a faith question. And they answered that question with Jesus and an urgent pleading to be allowed to give to help the Christians in Jerusalem.
The church, you and I, are at our best when we respond with faith in Jesus when all around us are despairing. As the world get’s darker and darker the light we shine gets brighter and brighter. Listen to how God describes us. “Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.” 1 Peter 2:10-12.
What about you? Is this just Christian rhetoric or is it the truth? Is it time for us to shine brighter than ever? Is it time to be more generous than ever? Is it time for us to recommit ourselves to our savior and proclaim to the world that He is the only true hope?
Go Blue
Dodgers are doing it this post season. They are destroying the Cubs. I really didn't think it would be this one sided. So glad I jumped ship to the Dodgers this season. Manny is doing well but the whole team is doing well. Cubs helped us a lot with all those errors. Back to LA to finish them off.
The Pick and Choose Gospel
We pick and choose what we like. At the grocery store. At the movies. At every turn we pick and choose what we like. That’s what freedom is all about we think and we are right to a large degree.
However when it comes to God’s word we don’t get to pick and choose what we like. Yet, many try it. I’ll have a pound of the love and a packet of the acceptance and a ton of forgiveness. Hold the sin stuff and I don’t want any of the condemnation stuff. Have you got any of that feeding the poor stuff?
God revealed his message to us in a series of documents that together make up the Bible. Each of them is true. They don’t just contain truth along with a lot of other stuff. They are all true. See 2 Timothy 3:16. We don’t get to add to it and we don’t get to take away from it.
Yet that is exactly what some do today. Have you heard of “red letter” Christians? They only take seriously what Jesus said, which in some Bibles is printed in red. Hence the name. They believe that what Jesus said is more important than what Paul, John, Peter, Luke wrote or at least should be more of a focus of our lives.
When they do they pick and choose which is hard to justify but they try by giving Christ’s word pre-eminence which looks worthy. However it ignores one fact. Jesus didn’t write the red letter books, the ones we call the gospels. They were written by Matthew, Mark, John and Luke through the controlling guidance of the Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:20-21). Our record of what Jesus said comes from the same source as the books of Acts. They are all in the same category. How can you then choose to follow Luke’s record in Luke and downgrade Luke’s record in Acts?
The only way is if you subscribe to the pick and choose approach to the scripture which reduces the Bible to nothing more than a buffet of teachings and stories that you can accept or reject subjectively.
Some go down this track because they don’t like or agree with what Paul and the other New Testament writers said about certain subjects like homosexuality, women’s role in the church, and a long list of doctrines. That’s hardly a good reason to reject a Holy Spirit inspired messenger of God. Just because you disagree with the message. Incidentally there are lots of stories about people who have done that in the past and they don’t end well.
The real question is not whether you agree with Paul’s etc. teachings. The real question is whether God is speaking through Paul and Luke and John etc. If He is, then listen to and obey the message. If not, then put them in with the piles of religious writings that litter human history.
However when it comes to God’s word we don’t get to pick and choose what we like. Yet, many try it. I’ll have a pound of the love and a packet of the acceptance and a ton of forgiveness. Hold the sin stuff and I don’t want any of the condemnation stuff. Have you got any of that feeding the poor stuff?
God revealed his message to us in a series of documents that together make up the Bible. Each of them is true. They don’t just contain truth along with a lot of other stuff. They are all true. See 2 Timothy 3:16. We don’t get to add to it and we don’t get to take away from it.
Yet that is exactly what some do today. Have you heard of “red letter” Christians? They only take seriously what Jesus said, which in some Bibles is printed in red. Hence the name. They believe that what Jesus said is more important than what Paul, John, Peter, Luke wrote or at least should be more of a focus of our lives.
When they do they pick and choose which is hard to justify but they try by giving Christ’s word pre-eminence which looks worthy. However it ignores one fact. Jesus didn’t write the red letter books, the ones we call the gospels. They were written by Matthew, Mark, John and Luke through the controlling guidance of the Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:20-21). Our record of what Jesus said comes from the same source as the books of Acts. They are all in the same category. How can you then choose to follow Luke’s record in Luke and downgrade Luke’s record in Acts?
The only way is if you subscribe to the pick and choose approach to the scripture which reduces the Bible to nothing more than a buffet of teachings and stories that you can accept or reject subjectively.
Some go down this track because they don’t like or agree with what Paul and the other New Testament writers said about certain subjects like homosexuality, women’s role in the church, and a long list of doctrines. That’s hardly a good reason to reject a Holy Spirit inspired messenger of God. Just because you disagree with the message. Incidentally there are lots of stories about people who have done that in the past and they don’t end well.
The real question is not whether you agree with Paul’s etc. teachings. The real question is whether God is speaking through Paul and Luke and John etc. If He is, then listen to and obey the message. If not, then put them in with the piles of religious writings that litter human history.
Baptism
Very interesting lesson from Rick Atcherly at Richland Hills Church of Christ. Click Here
Good biblical perspective.
Good biblical perspective.
Americanizing the Gospel
It would probably be presumptuous of me (as an Australian to make these observations but that doesn't stop me from agreeing strongly with Toby's thoughts. Check them out at http://blogs.crosstimberschurch.org/toby/?p=1842#comments
Prosperity Theology
It may be sarcastic but this video really does point out the fallacy of the prosperity gospel. Over promising God's promises reduces them to religious irrelevency
Conventions
No not traditional ways of doing things but political conventions. We don't have these in Australia. To my foreign eye they are really quite peculiar. Seems a little too much Ra Ra and talky talk. But if it stops us having civil wars when we disagree I am all for them. But I don't have too watch them. But I can't stop. It's like watching a car crash. I just can't avert my eyes. At least Jon Stewart doesn't have to make these looks silly. They have done all the work for him.
Preach It! Don’t Police It!
God is clear about this. Our job is to communicate, by whatever means appropriate, the message of the good news (1 Cor. 9:22-23, Matt. 28:19, 2 Cor. 5:20 etc.)
There was a time in my life when I thought that I needed to police the preaching of the gospel by others. I defined the gospel as anything in the New Testament and if people didn’t preach what I taught on the matter, then they were judged by me as agents of Satan and not deserving of the name, Christian.
God was patient with me and eventually I opened by my ears to the teaching of the very New Testament that I felt I had done such a good job of policing. I started to notice that nowhere in the Book was anyone judged as lost for the preaching except for the
1. Preaching a different gospel to Paul and the apostles (Gal. 1:8-9). The gospel, according to Paul, was not the whole New Testament. It was and is the message of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus for us (1 Cor. 15:1-4, Titus 3:16).
2. Teaching that Jesus is not the Christ and did not come in physical form (1 John 2:22, 4:2)
If someone teaches the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus, who am I to judge them? Just because they don’t agree with me on a list of teachings that I think is important doesn’t mean that I shouldn’t give glory to God because of them. Paul addressed this issue while considering all the preachers he knew. His conclusion was “But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice,” Philippians 1:18.
We don’t get to be the ones who must be listened to because we get everything (or even most things) right. No one does. We get to be the ones who preach the gospel because God got everything right in Jesus. Listen to the Holy Spirit’s words on this. “For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.” 2 Corinthians 4:5. “But we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling-block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles,” 1 Corinthians 1:23. “For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.” 1 Corinthians 2:2.
Church, let’s preach the gospel. Let’s work with whomever we can to get the message of the cross to a hopeless world. Let’s not be judgmental of others because they are different. Let’s give glory to God that His Son is being proclaimed.
There was a time in my life when I thought that I needed to police the preaching of the gospel by others. I defined the gospel as anything in the New Testament and if people didn’t preach what I taught on the matter, then they were judged by me as agents of Satan and not deserving of the name, Christian.
God was patient with me and eventually I opened by my ears to the teaching of the very New Testament that I felt I had done such a good job of policing. I started to notice that nowhere in the Book was anyone judged as lost for the preaching except for the
1. Preaching a different gospel to Paul and the apostles (Gal. 1:8-9). The gospel, according to Paul, was not the whole New Testament. It was and is the message of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus for us (1 Cor. 15:1-4, Titus 3:16).
2. Teaching that Jesus is not the Christ and did not come in physical form (1 John 2:22, 4:2)
If someone teaches the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus, who am I to judge them? Just because they don’t agree with me on a list of teachings that I think is important doesn’t mean that I shouldn’t give glory to God because of them. Paul addressed this issue while considering all the preachers he knew. His conclusion was “But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice,” Philippians 1:18.
We don’t get to be the ones who must be listened to because we get everything (or even most things) right. No one does. We get to be the ones who preach the gospel because God got everything right in Jesus. Listen to the Holy Spirit’s words on this. “For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.” 2 Corinthians 4:5. “But we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling-block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles,” 1 Corinthians 1:23. “For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.” 1 Corinthians 2:2.
Church, let’s preach the gospel. Let’s work with whomever we can to get the message of the cross to a hopeless world. Let’s not be judgmental of others because they are different. Let’s give glory to God that His Son is being proclaimed.
My Mother
Memories of My Mother, Kathleen Little, by George Little
1921-2008
I always would ask my mother what her middle name was. Middle names were important in our family and there was a reason for each of the ones given to me and my brothers. But mum would never tell me her middle anme. She never did. I found it out many years later from my brother Andrew. Her middle name was Minnie, which I think embarrassed her, but I remember with a lot of fondness. It was her mother’s name. Maybe someone in succeeding generations might pick that up again.
In all my early memories of my family, mum is always there. I have a distinct memory of her taking Andrew and I fishing below the weir in St George in western Queensland, where I was born. She didn’t know much about fishing. She just knew that we loved it. We didn’t catch any fish that day but I caught a life long memory.
Mum always cared for us. She was devoted to her three sons. I wasn’t the easiest child and she was very patient with me. I remember she would reheat the porridge from breakfast and give it to me after school. It was a little lumpy and too this day that is the way I really like it. I could never understand why people disliked lumpy porridge.
When I decided to answer the call to preach the gospel mum didn’t understand it at all. She always emphasized getting a conventional education and building your life on that. The idea of her troublesome son becoming a preacher just didn’t fit into her plans for me. Over the years she got used to the idea and for many years now she has spoken proudly of her son, the preacher. I was so glad she finally came around.
I was able to be with mum for a few days a couple of weeks ago. My son, Ben and I, would come and visit her at the Gold Coast Hospital a couple of times a day. She was so happy to see us and we were glad we could talk with her and spend time with her in her last few days. Ben wore a sports jersey one day with pinstripes on it. She made sure she commented how much she liked it. She always liked a man in pinstripes.
In our family there is a much told story of the day when mum, Julie and I and the grandsons were walking on the piers at the Broadwater looking at all the expensive and beautiful yachts. I think Ben was around 10 years old. Mum said to him, “Ben, when you grow up, will you buy one of these yachts for me.” Without missing a beat Ben replied, “Don’t be silly Granny you will be dead by then!” too which mum laughed herself silly. And she did the same thing every time we retold the story. Well, she has passed on now and somehow I think that she is still laughing and enjoying being with God. Mum always loves a good laugh. One day we will all join her there and have a good laugh.
Family
Ben,Alexander,
and Harrison.
The three best sons a father and mother could ever have. July 2008
Living the Real Life
What is the real life in 2008. Is it baseball (Manny to LAD Wow)? Is it dinner? Is it friends? Is it peace? Is it a good movie? Is it the NBA? Is it a blog?
Life is full of so many good things. But is that all there is to life. A man once had all this and more and after many years of such a life he said, “Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.” Ecclesiastes 12:13, NIV.
Life is full of so many good things. But is that all there is to life. A man once had all this and more and after many years of such a life he said, “Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.” Ecclesiastes 12:13, NIV.
Wow. Life in its simplicity according to the one who made us. Take it and run with it.
Skype
While in Australia I struggled with the fact that it is still hard to stay in contact internationally. My son, Alexander, shared Skype with me. I had used it long ago but found the quality pretty poor. It has improved significantly and can be used for a video hookup. It works on MacBooks and so I tested it in Sydney and it worked. Last night we tested it for a video call from LA to Sydney and it worked perfectly. Julie loved be able to see Alexander as well as talk with him. It is free for computer to computer calls and you need a broadband connection. Check out the software on here
GOOD NEWS
My mother is well enough to return to the Nursing Home. I arrived at Gold Coast Hospital yesterday to visit with her and they were about to put her in a wheel chair to transport here. That is good news. She is doing very well. I spent the rest of the day with her and with arranging for a phone to be installed in her room. Lots of running around. She is very happy to be back with her friends.
Getting on a plane tomorrow night and heading back to LA and the love of my life.
OR IS IT DAY 4?
This world is hard to grasp. I was talking with Julie just as she was about to walk into church Wednesday night group. Then Andrew called from Sydney and I thought it was Friday. I have traveled through so many time zones in the past few days that I get turned around. So glad God knows where everything goes otherwise we would get really messed up.
Saw mum twice today at the hospital. She is doing better and looks like she is going to recover. Still very frail but her body just keeps on going with a bit of help from the oxygen machine and antibiotics. She is in a special respiratory ward where everyone was some lung problems. People in there are a mess and almost all have pneumonia or worse. I really am averse to hospitals. Thank God that there are people who feel called to serve in them. I know I am not.
Going to Sydney for a while to see my sons. Hope I don't get a call from the hospital because it will only be bad news. I don't think I will.
My son Ben just had to see the Dark Knight at 9:30 last night. I did what most 51 year old dads do and slept through it. Ben said it was awesome and that I should see it with Ali.
Gas is $1.65 a litre here. That's about $6.200 a gallon. Who would have thought that $3.65 gallon gas would look so good?
Later, G
Australia Day 3
My mother has improved but she is still in hospital on an oxygen mask. She loves having Ben and I with her. I gave her a shawl we bought for her in Mexico. She loved it. She can't speak more than a couple of words but you can tell her emotions from the look on her face.
Traveling overseas is a real challenge. Last two days I couldn't call the US on my prepaid cell phone. Today it works and have talked with Julie and my Bank (they had put a hold on my credit card because they didn't like one of the charges I made. I informed them that is was okay and they are let me use it again). However the hold they put on it stopped my internet access working. Anyhow, you know the drill. Whatever can go wrong will.
Being in town means my brother Andrew can do a business trip to Singapore. I am glad I can help. I can't do much from the US. I will be visiting my other sons soon. Looking forward to that. Alexander gets back from New Zealand this Saturday. Haven't heard any bad news so that means he hasn't broken anything snowboarding (hopefully).
Has been raining for the past two days. Finally got sick of that. Sun came out today and I feel a lot better. I miss my wife and my friends. Why doesn't everybody just all live in the same place?
Later, G
Australia July 16, 08
Arrived into Brisbane yesterday afternoon. Got a rental car after my Mastercard messing up a bit. International travel always has its complications. My son, Ben, flew up from Sydney and met me at the airport in Brisbane. It was so good to see him.
We drove an hour and half to Southport and went to the hospital to see mum. Didn't know what to expect. My brother Andrews reports had got a little better the last day or so. Mum was awake and looking very bright eyed. She is still on oxygen. She is still very weak and has a lot of fluid on her lungs but she looked a lot better than I thought she would. Maybe it was seen her son and grandson. She loves her boys.
The next couple of days will tell if she is going to recover or if her frail body is going to give. Either way I am so glad I got to hug and kiss her yesterday and talk to her. If she goes soon I want her to take a message to Jesus for me. More on that later.
I am in McDonalds on the beach at Surfers Paradise and it is raining and overcast. I am just so glad I have internet access. Coming from Southern California, rain is such a delight.
going to spend a few hours with mum today and sit down and talk with my brother about getting our family affairs in order. It is so good to have Ben with me. He is such a delight and such a strong and faith filled disciple of Jesus. I am so proud of him and Harrison and Alexander who I hope to see in a few days.
Later, G
Life's Unexpected
Last Friday, I was doing what I normally do. At least as normal as it is for me as a preacher. 11 o'clock my Blackberry reveals an urgent message from my brother, Andrew, in Sydney Australia, to call him immediately. He tells me that my mother is deathly ill with pneumonia and is not doing well. The doctor is very pessimistic. After prayer, conversations with Julie, my wife and one of my elders I decide that I need to return to Australia to be with mum.
I email one of the sisters in the church who is a travel agent and the end result is that by Saturday morning we had a return ticket for me to Australia for Sunday night. Didn't have the finances to pay for it so we took out a loan. Only just got back from vacation which consumed most of our funds.
Sunday morning I begin a new class called 3:16 and preached the second in a series on the Holy Spirit. Oops forgot to upload the sermon to the church website or mine for that matter. The world will just have to wait a couple of weeks for my pearls of wisdom (yeh right!).
Sunday night we have the young adults group over for a Stump the Preacher session. I love this group and was determined not to cancel on them. Great questions on prayer, free will, judgment of the lost, denomination issues. These guys and girls ask great questions.
Julie drives me to the airport and I get on an Air Pacific flight to Fiji and that where I am now. 7 hour layover which is just short enough to keep you at the airport and just long enough to drive you crazy. And so what do I do? Start writing my blog.
I saw a family on my flight with 3 young boys. Reminded me of the days when Julie and I and the three boys used to travel together with our 11 suitcases. Within the space of 20 yards each boy had slapped the back of each others head and pushed and tripped each so much that I lost count. I wasn't really counting. I was just smiling. Ah, those were the days.
I think I will blog a lot on this trip. It is going to be a bit of a journey for me. I am not speaking of the travel. That's laborious. But the journey of life. Please pray for Julie while I am away and if you are nearby, look after her a bit. Not too much. She has been known to bite. Only joking. I think the humid and tepid air of tropical Fiji is getting to me.
Later, G
Journey (1)
They call life a journey and what do you know? They are right. I was talking to someone recently and it occurred to me that my spiritual journey within Churches of Christ has actually been a journey of turns, changes, reversals, the whole nine yards. I have never put pen to paper about this journey because I didn't have enough perspective. I probably still don't but I feel like it is time for me to try to write down where I have come from. It may give me some idea of where I am going. If not, I am sure it will be good therapy.
I became a Christian in 1972. I was forced to go to a summer bible camp. I have never been to a summer camp let alone a bible one. This was scary and repulsive and I put up a good fight but mum pushed and pushed until I went. Who knows I might meet some girls. I had very little time for Christians. I had a lot of time for girls. They came across to me as weak minded conformists who really didn't think very deeply (Christians that is). My mind was changed over the next week as I met many Christians my age who were genuine, open minded and full of faith. Within a few days my faith in Christ grew to the point when I requested to be baptized. No baptistries. We were up on top of Mount Tamborine in the Gold Coast hinterland. There were plenty of streams and pools and so late one day I was immersed in one of those leech infested ponds. It was a personal experience. I had personally come to believe in Jesus and heard the gospel in its simplicity and purity. The Christians who taught me were not denominational in any way. They were simply Christians. Nothing more and nothing less.
In looking back on this I notice that my coming to Christ was not within the experience of a local church. I had never attended the local Church of Christ. I didn't even know where it was or even care for that matter. I was 16 and I wanted to give my life to Jesus. The church thing didn't enter into my experience until the following Sunday. I didn't know anything about all the church stuff. It was this stuff that would severely mess with me over the years but it didn't really kill off my faith as my faith was not based on my church experience. It was based on my personal experience with Jesus.
It is a sad observation but it is true. So many times the church really gets in the way of a person's spiritual development. I don't say this to indicate that I resent the church. I have learned to love the church and have dedicated my life to serving Jesus within the church. I just long for the day when the local church will be a place of genuine Christians whose primary concern is their love for God and their love for each other. God blessed me with rebirth into Christ. I didn't know if there was a true church or if it mattered. My journey would take me through a long conversation of the position of church in my Christian experience. It would be a difficult journey during which I would move from one pole to an almost opposite pole.
More later
Vacation
Back home in Australia we calling it going on holidays and we do it in December January. Here in the US it is called going on vacation and you do it on July August.
This year we went on a cruise to Mexico. Everyone we knew had been on a cruise and I was feeling left behind so Julie worked to earn the money for the big cruise. It was great. Very relaxing. We went with friends who had done a lot of this before and so they helped with the locals and the land based stuff. The highlight was lunch at the Nogalito in a rain forest near Mazatlan. Steamy hot with butterflys every where. Delicious seafood and a couple of gigantic iguanas joined us for dessert.
Back in LA and on my last day of vacation and we score tickets to the Dodger game. They decided to win while we were away. Thinking seriously of jumping on the band wagon. Kuroda almost had a perfect game, at least a no-hitter, ended up with a one hitter shut out.
Back to work tomorrow. Looking forward to it, except everyone will probably be going on vacation.
Updated the Glendale Church website. Check it out.
This year we went on a cruise to Mexico. Everyone we knew had been on a cruise and I was feeling left behind so Julie worked to earn the money for the big cruise. It was great. Very relaxing. We went with friends who had done a lot of this before and so they helped with the locals and the land based stuff. The highlight was lunch at the Nogalito in a rain forest near Mazatlan. Steamy hot with butterflys every where. Delicious seafood and a couple of gigantic iguanas joined us for dessert.
Back in LA and on my last day of vacation and we score tickets to the Dodger game. They decided to win while we were away. Thinking seriously of jumping on the band wagon. Kuroda almost had a perfect game, at least a no-hitter, ended up with a one hitter shut out.
Back to work tomorrow. Looking forward to it, except everyone will probably be going on vacation.
Updated the Glendale Church website. Check it out.
Lakers Lose
I must admit I love the NBA or any basketball for that matter. I have been a supporter of the Lakers since 1979. I enjoy all the skill, the courage and the personalities and yes, I do enjoy it when my team wins. But this just wasn't their year. They did extremely well but they came in second. In the minds of many second is just not very good at all. But, think about it. To come in second in the most elite basketball competition in the world is pretty extraordinary.
I'm just sad it is over. At least this year we have the Olympic competition. And there is always next year. The cry of the basketball-a-holic.
I'm just sad it is over. At least this year we have the Olympic competition. And there is always next year. The cry of the basketball-a-holic.
Father's Day in America
It's not on the same date as in Australia but it did remind me of this article I wrote a while back. Then I heard of Tim Russert's sudden death today and I thought I would publish the article again. Tim loved his father, Big Rus. In fact he wrote a best selling book about him. His reminisces about his father motivated me to write this article.
I was just listening to the radio in my car and Tim Russert, the host of Meet the Press, was on talking about his new book which is an account of his relationship with his father.
It struck me in two ways. It made me think of my own father and the things we did together and how he affected me. It also made me think of my heavenly father and how He has affected me.
Fishing. That’s what I think of when I think of my dad. Nothing fancy. Not even fishing poles. He would take my brother and I down to the Mary River near Gympie in Queensland, Australia. It was invariably on a Saturday morning. We had spent Friday evening digging up earthworms from dad’s garden to use as bait. Often this was more fun than the fishing. If the fishing lines weren’t up to scratch we would wind new line on to them. They consisted of an 8 inch piece of 2 x 1 wood with a notch in each end. We would wind fishing line on to them and tie on a sinker and a hook. For boys who spent very little time with their father it was such a great time.
In the shade of some gum trees we would throw our lines in and tie them to stakes and wait for them to go loose, a sure sign that a catfish had taken the bait. They were ugly fish and boy did they taste terrible unless you soaked them in marinade for days but that didn’t matter. We would sit there quietly (we didn’t want to scare the fish) and watch the water. Dad didn’t say much to us at the best of times unless he’d one too many at the pub. While we were fishing he said even less.
It didn’t matter. Dad was doing something with us and that made us happy. We didn’t analyse it. We just enjoyed it. Every few weeks we would beg dad to take us fishing. More often than not, he wouldn’t. He’d be too busy with work or golf. That didn’t bother us. He did love us and we felt it. After all he had taken us fishing.
When I was baptized into Christ the first thing I said to my father when I saw him was, “I have another father now.” I don’t know why I said that. I hadn’t planned to. It just came out. I think it hurt him though he didn’t show any signs of such pain.
My dad had always taught me that the only reasonable position an educated person could take was that there is a God who created and designed this world. He wasn’t a religious man. In fact he ridiculed organized religion. However he couldn’t reasonably let go of a belief in the creator God. His logic reminded me later in my walk with Christ of Romans 1:20 “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature--have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.” (Romans 1:20).
When you look at this world you learn something about your heavenly father. The Roman letter doesn’t speak of us learning about His existence although that can be easily learned from the creation. It says that it teaches us of the Father’s eternal power and divine nature. In considering that power and that nature I learn something of my relationship to Him.
He made me. Yes, I know He made all people but He did make me to. He made a world just right for me. He cares for me. Otherwise He wouldn’t have made me and provided for me.
Often I sit by the bank of the river of my life and God sits there with me. He doesn’t say much. I think that He thinks it would scare me. It probably would. In the silence I feel loved. He can’t explain too much to me but just His presence in my life makes me feel happy. I am one of three sons and I have three sons but this is not a male thing. God, the Father, walks very closely with us (Acts 17:27) and wants us to be utterly convinced of at least one thing. He loves us as no earthly father can love. He is never too busy with work or golf. He is totally and utterly devoted to me.
When you next look at the creation, whether it be a grand vista or the eyes of your children, see this message. He loves you. He cares. He has no vested interest in caring. You have nothing to offer Him that would benefit Him and yet He loves you passionately. He cares because that is who he is. He is love.
When this realization hits you, there is only one thing you can do. Worship Him. Bow down. You are in the presence of God, the Father. This is holy ground. Bow down and worship your Father. He loves it when you do that. He doesn’t need it but He loves it.
“The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing.” Zephaniah 3:17
Does this make sense to you? I don’t know about you. All I know is that it came to me as I was thinking about my Father.
I was just listening to the radio in my car and Tim Russert, the host of Meet the Press, was on talking about his new book which is an account of his relationship with his father.
It struck me in two ways. It made me think of my own father and the things we did together and how he affected me. It also made me think of my heavenly father and how He has affected me.
Fishing. That’s what I think of when I think of my dad. Nothing fancy. Not even fishing poles. He would take my brother and I down to the Mary River near Gympie in Queensland, Australia. It was invariably on a Saturday morning. We had spent Friday evening digging up earthworms from dad’s garden to use as bait. Often this was more fun than the fishing. If the fishing lines weren’t up to scratch we would wind new line on to them. They consisted of an 8 inch piece of 2 x 1 wood with a notch in each end. We would wind fishing line on to them and tie on a sinker and a hook. For boys who spent very little time with their father it was such a great time.
In the shade of some gum trees we would throw our lines in and tie them to stakes and wait for them to go loose, a sure sign that a catfish had taken the bait. They were ugly fish and boy did they taste terrible unless you soaked them in marinade for days but that didn’t matter. We would sit there quietly (we didn’t want to scare the fish) and watch the water. Dad didn’t say much to us at the best of times unless he’d one too many at the pub. While we were fishing he said even less.
It didn’t matter. Dad was doing something with us and that made us happy. We didn’t analyse it. We just enjoyed it. Every few weeks we would beg dad to take us fishing. More often than not, he wouldn’t. He’d be too busy with work or golf. That didn’t bother us. He did love us and we felt it. After all he had taken us fishing.
When I was baptized into Christ the first thing I said to my father when I saw him was, “I have another father now.” I don’t know why I said that. I hadn’t planned to. It just came out. I think it hurt him though he didn’t show any signs of such pain.
My dad had always taught me that the only reasonable position an educated person could take was that there is a God who created and designed this world. He wasn’t a religious man. In fact he ridiculed organized religion. However he couldn’t reasonably let go of a belief in the creator God. His logic reminded me later in my walk with Christ of Romans 1:20 “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature--have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.” (Romans 1:20).
When you look at this world you learn something about your heavenly father. The Roman letter doesn’t speak of us learning about His existence although that can be easily learned from the creation. It says that it teaches us of the Father’s eternal power and divine nature. In considering that power and that nature I learn something of my relationship to Him.
He made me. Yes, I know He made all people but He did make me to. He made a world just right for me. He cares for me. Otherwise He wouldn’t have made me and provided for me.
Often I sit by the bank of the river of my life and God sits there with me. He doesn’t say much. I think that He thinks it would scare me. It probably would. In the silence I feel loved. He can’t explain too much to me but just His presence in my life makes me feel happy. I am one of three sons and I have three sons but this is not a male thing. God, the Father, walks very closely with us (Acts 17:27) and wants us to be utterly convinced of at least one thing. He loves us as no earthly father can love. He is never too busy with work or golf. He is totally and utterly devoted to me.
When you next look at the creation, whether it be a grand vista or the eyes of your children, see this message. He loves you. He cares. He has no vested interest in caring. You have nothing to offer Him that would benefit Him and yet He loves you passionately. He cares because that is who he is. He is love.
When this realization hits you, there is only one thing you can do. Worship Him. Bow down. You are in the presence of God, the Father. This is holy ground. Bow down and worship your Father. He loves it when you do that. He doesn’t need it but He loves it.
“The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing.” Zephaniah 3:17
Does this make sense to you? I don’t know about you. All I know is that it came to me as I was thinking about my Father.
LA, Lakers and Life
I am sitting in a MacDonalds as I wait to pick up my brother and sister in law from LAX. I am trying not to listen to the guy nearby who is talking to his aged mother (I assume). He sounds just like Wood Allen. Sometimes I like to people watch and every time I do I am blown away by all the different kinds of humans there are. The diversity is absolutely amazing.
And every single one of them God loves. Jesus died for every one of them. And yet so few know of G0d's love. But that won't stop God trying to get through to them. I have just got to learn to recognize their likeness to God rather than the external appearance.
Game 2, Western Conference Final tonight! An where will I be? At a Dodger Game. Don't know how I worked that out. Go Lakers!
LA is usually sunny, warm and very pleasant this time of year. Today it is overcast, rainy and very unpleasant. I'm not complaining. Well, maybe a little. If I wanted weather like this I would live in New York. OK, got that out of my system. I just love the way God, every so often, says to us that He is God and He gets to say what happens. There is nothing like a tornado, a storm and thunder to remind you of His power and our dependence on Him.
A Light In Livermore
It made me think. We Christians are to be light to this dark world (Matthew 5:14). Yes, we are. But can we learn a lesson from the “long-lived light bulb of Livermore”? Oh, yes we can.
God puts us in the places where He wants us (Acts 17:26). That refers to where we live, where we build our church buildings and lot more that we probably don’t give Him credit. Whether I understand this or not, I do know why He has put us here to shine the light. We are the light of the world and we must shine.
One of the reasons put forward as to why the Livermore light bulb keeps on shining is that it never gets turned off. It does nothing but shine 24 hours a day. Now that’s another lesson for us, isn’t it. We have got to stop turning the light of God on and off. We aren’t just lights to the world on Sunday morning. We aren’t just lights when we are around Christians who know us. We are to be lights in the dark places. We are to be lights even when no one knows us.
As a church we must be light to the world. We must stop going through spasms of evangelism during which we turn the light of God on and then after some growth turn it off again. We are to be the witnesses of Christ every single day of every single year that God gives us.
The Livermore light bulb does what it can. It can only shine incandescently. No neon. No fluorescence. We are different. We can shine so many different ways. God puts it this way. “To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some.” (1 Corinthians 9:22). We must shine however we can. It may be in a meal served to the needy . It may be in a good word for Jesus when someone asks what you did on the weekend. It may be in going the extra mile for a neighbor who really irritates you. It may be in an illuminated sign in front of the church building. It may be in an uplifting time of worship. It may be in teaching a Bible class. We aren’t like the Livermore light bulb. We don’t just shine in our fire house. We shine in the whole world that God has given us.
Where do you shine your light? I know we shine everywhere but are there times or places when you consciously to try and make sure you shine your light? Don’t know? That’s okay. Just shine. Shine. Shine.
The Forgotten Ways
I have been reading Alan Hirsch's book, The Forgotten Ways, this week. It is a great read. He does get behind the jargon and uses his personal experience to take you through the journey of how to reach the huge majority of people in our society who have no interest in the Constantine form of church. He doesn't get caught up in that whole theoretical, academic and overly jargonized presentation of ideas.
He refers to the period from 4th century Constantine's legalization (it was more than that) of Christianity as Christendom and it is typified by the church building based, priest based, "come to us model" that both Roman Catholic and Protestant churches have followed. He advocates a return to pre-Christendom forms and functions, even first century ones. He makes a very good argument. I do like the fact that in doing this he doesn't completely discount the existing forms and functions that lead him (and most of us) to Christ like so many authors about the emergent church seem to do today.
The other thing I like about this book is that it has a very strong evangelistic focus. While observing that most of our "church growth" methods are only mildly effective on small fraction of the world that is the evangelical world. He speaks to those who are drawn by God to reach the other 90% of our society.
He makes some really great points. And he is Australian. What's that got to do with anything? Nothing, except that we Australians are quite insecure and must always brag about our accomplishments. Did you know that it was an Australian who invented the motor mower, the rotary clothes line and put the bubbles in bear. OK, the last one was a bit of a lie but it was a good movie plot in Young Einstein.
Pray for Myanmar
What a mess? Over 100,000 people dead (more if you believe the reports of the anti government rebels), 5 million without homes. Add to that mess a military government that seems to be more concerned with itself than its people and this is going to be an even bigger mess. We need to be in urgent prayer for the survivors.
Healing Hands International is a great aid agency run by members of Churches of Christ who are able to get funds into Myanmar to people they have on the ground. I highly recommend them.
Iron Sharpening Iron
Today I went to a fellowship lunch with many fellow preachers and ministers. I don't think it was the location (The pope room of Buca De Beppo at Santa Monica) but it sure was encouraging. Great fellowship and great discussion of what God can do. There was no lack of talking. Wasn't just talk. It was a conversation. It was and extension of our dreams and frustrations, our hopes and our disappointments. God surely is always moving. I just felt we let His movement move us a little today.
For those of us who have given every waking hour to the kingdom it was such a refreshing lunch. It gives me a little more hope. I don't need a lot but I do need some. Thanks brothers and sisters.
LAKERS NUMBER ONE
I am so glad I am living in Los Angeles in the year the Lakers come good again. What a game on Sunday afternoon. Utterly decimating the Spurs who are a great team. Sure Ginobli was out but it was still a great display of powerful basketball. The whole team is playing well together and looking like they enjoy it.
Now if Andrew Bynum can get back for some of the playoffs that will be a plus. However we pretty much got here without him He would certainly give us even more punch.
Go Lakers
Why do visitors return?
I have been challenged by this question for 30 years know. People have wide an varied reasons to visit our churches but I want to know why they come back. Maybe if we could get a bit of an idea about this we might be able to get more to return. Anyhow, here are some thoughts on the question. I would really like to hear comments. Even though there are some good statistical studies on this I am more interested in anecdotal feedback.
Which do you think is the most dominant reason?
1. They love the friendly atmosphere.
More Detail: They really enjoyed being greeted and the way many people engaged them in conversation. They perceive this friendliness as genuine and not manipulative.
Factors that influence this: Fellowship time with refreshments, Every member’s willingness to welcome those they do not know, Our friendliness to them no matter their race, creed or appearance, Being genuine in this.
2. They connect very strongly with the preacher – his style, ability to communicate.
More Detail: If people do not like the preacher or if he doesn’t really connect with them, most people will not return. He can connect with them on many different levels but he must connect somewhere for them to return.
Factors that influence this: the preacher’s ability to connect with visitors as well as church members in his preaching, Humor, 21st century cultural relevance (talks about things that people deal with today),
3. They really like the strong teach of definite answers to the questions of life.
More Detail: After listening to a sermon or Bible class the visitor feels that they have be given a definite solution or answer. There is right and wrong and God has to be listened to. There are clear paths for your life from God
Factors that influence this: Preaching and teaching style, Literature
4. They have a background in the Church of Christ and we satisfy their need to be in a church like that (acappella music, weekly communion etc.)
More Detail: These visitors are looking for a place to go on Sunday, and usually only Sunday, that is their brand. Even thought that is the reason they return they can be taught to see the deeper spiritual truths of a relationship with God in His church
Factors that influence this: Similarity to what they are used to.
5. They connect with the level of excitement and energy in the group.
More Detail: This is a lot more influential than many think. It needs to be in combination with one of the other reasons to return but most people, especially of the Boomer and later generations, are looking for this.
Factors that influence this: The energy level of our singing and praying, the enthusiasm of the leaders, the smiles on people’s faces
6. They have children and want them in a Bible Class or Youth Group.
7. They identify with one particular group of adults.
8. The church building is close to them.
9. The church’s ability to help with a particular need they have.
10. Engagement in a relevant personal bible study.
11. Personal relationship with an existing member.
Which do you think is the most dominant reason?
1. They love the friendly atmosphere.
More Detail: They really enjoyed being greeted and the way many people engaged them in conversation. They perceive this friendliness as genuine and not manipulative.
Factors that influence this: Fellowship time with refreshments, Every member’s willingness to welcome those they do not know, Our friendliness to them no matter their race, creed or appearance, Being genuine in this.
2. They connect very strongly with the preacher – his style, ability to communicate.
More Detail: If people do not like the preacher or if he doesn’t really connect with them, most people will not return. He can connect with them on many different levels but he must connect somewhere for them to return.
Factors that influence this: the preacher’s ability to connect with visitors as well as church members in his preaching, Humor, 21st century cultural relevance (talks about things that people deal with today),
3. They really like the strong teach of definite answers to the questions of life.
More Detail: After listening to a sermon or Bible class the visitor feels that they have be given a definite solution or answer. There is right and wrong and God has to be listened to. There are clear paths for your life from God
Factors that influence this: Preaching and teaching style, Literature
4. They have a background in the Church of Christ and we satisfy their need to be in a church like that (acappella music, weekly communion etc.)
More Detail: These visitors are looking for a place to go on Sunday, and usually only Sunday, that is their brand. Even thought that is the reason they return they can be taught to see the deeper spiritual truths of a relationship with God in His church
Factors that influence this: Similarity to what they are used to.
5. They connect with the level of excitement and energy in the group.
More Detail: This is a lot more influential than many think. It needs to be in combination with one of the other reasons to return but most people, especially of the Boomer and later generations, are looking for this.
Factors that influence this: The energy level of our singing and praying, the enthusiasm of the leaders, the smiles on people’s faces
6. They have children and want them in a Bible Class or Youth Group.
7. They identify with one particular group of adults.
8. The church building is close to them.
9. The church’s ability to help with a particular need they have.
10. Engagement in a relevant personal bible study.
11. Personal relationship with an existing member.
What Makes a Church a Church?
Did Jesus plan for His church to be imperfect?
He certainly planned for it to filled with imperfect people, saved sinners.
He planned for it to be lead by mature but still imperfect people. One of the most prominent church leaders of all time, Paul, proclaimed that he was the chief of sinners.
When the Holy Spirit wrote to many of the churches of Christ in the first century He did so because they were not getting church right. There is more in the letters of the New Testament about what was wrong with those churches than what was right.
Despite all this God regards this imperfect church as His church. So, what makes a church a church? I have some ideas from scripture. I hope you do as well and are willing to share them with me. What do you think? I will share my perspective in my next posting.
Help for the Homeless
Increasingly the church where I work is being faced with ministering to the homeless and we have been feeling increasingly helpless in actually helping them. Our Community Ministry has organized a special seminar this Saturday on How to Help the Homeless. Rudy Salinas from the PATH organization will be speaking on how to reach out to the chronically homeless. Click Here for more information
Religion in the USA
Just in case you haven't seen it here is the link to the full report from the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life. Very interesting.
Time Flies When You're Miserable
I can't believe it has been so long since I have blogged. At least that proves I am not addicted. Been laid low with the flu along with most of the populations of Southern California. Then I had to chase my tail to catch up on all the work I missed.
How about those Lakers? Pretty much makes my move to LA a winner. I can't believe how well they are playing. At least Kobe doesn't have to try and save them every game although he had to take over a bit a couple of games ago. Go Lakers.
I have made any final decisions but I am feeling a strong temptation to become a Dodgers fan. I know I am an unashamed swing fan. However I do love the Padres but I can get such good tickets to the Dodger games from my friend. And the legend, Joe Torre, is coaching the Dodgers. I must confess I am receiving daily emails from Dodger spring training. I feel like such a traitor. Well, maybe the Padres will not be that good this year and my pending seduction to the dark side will make sense. I feel so dirty.
Grace Cafe Live
I am sitting at Grace Cafe with my coffee (with Irish Coffee) flavoring. Listening to a couple sing some great songs. The atmosphere is really relaxed. The vibe is good. And nobody thinks I am weird because I am typing on my laptop. Well, at least it's too dark for them for me to seeing their disapproving eyes. I'm not paranoid. Much!
I just set up the table tennis table. Can't wait to show these young bucks how good I am at table tennis.
I see some of the local neighborhood kids who often skateboard around the building.
The young adults have done a great job in getting this ministry moving. Keep on moving us Lord.
Grace CAFE Set to Start
After much prayer and preparation Grace Cafe is set to launch this Saturday at 7 pm.If you are in the Glendale are drop by.
If you aren't, then please pray that this effort will succeed in introducing many to Jesus.
Jesus Nut of the Year
I was reading the LA Times this morning when an article on the Golf Nut Society caught my attention. Here it is online They award the person who chose the most outlandish devotion to gold the Golf Nut of the Year award. It is amazing what some people do to play this game. I love the game but in the end it is just a game to me.
But it got me thinking. Suppose there was a Jesus Nut of the Year award given to the person who shows the most outlandish devotion to their Lord. Of course there would never be such a reward and even if there was the winner they would not accept because he or she would see such an award as not giving the glory to God. Setting that aside, what if???
Would you or I be in the running? Or would our attempts to not appear to fanatical or too dedicated have succeeded? Would our efforts of blend into the cultural landscape have made us so unidentifiable as a Christian. Have our efforts to be seen as people with values succeeded in camouflaging the reality that we are a people with a Lord above all else?
I don't know but it certainly makes you think!
Going to Church 2,000 Years Ago
If I were an outsider looking at the life of most churches, I would conclude that Sunday morning “worship service” was the most important thing we do. In one sense I live in pragmatic fear of saying anything about this because I know that most hassles in churches arise from disagreeing with someone’s view of what goes on in that time. Churches have split over what to sing and how we sing it during the “worship service” and I’m not even talking about the instrumental music question. We have split about whether we stand up or sit down … about whether there are pews or chairs, one song leader or a group, carpet of wood floors, four part of one part harmony, children’s church or not. And the list goes on.
If there is a more contentious battleground, I have yet to see it. You would think there are whole chapters in the New Testament speaking of worship services, how to leader prayer, singing four part harmony, how to conduct the Communion (beyond the emblems and prayers), how long to preach, offering invitations along with invitation songs and how to make announcements. Despite all of what is said and done in the name of these things, do you know how many times these terms are mentioned in the New Testament. Not once. I may be wrong. You might find one or two verses that allude to them but you will never find a structural description of this time of worship in the New Testament.
In my mind that leads to many questions but I will only focus on one in this section. What was a gathering for worship like in past church 33 to 65 AD? The following is not an exhaustive study of this question but it is meant to give us a reasonably clear picture of a gathering of our brethren in the early church. There is one other note. The word, worship, is never used in the New Testament to describe any gathering of Christians. Is that significant? I don’t think so except to observe that even our language about this subject isn’t even biblical in its origin.
It is past church, first century. Your friend has invited to come with him to hear about Jesus. You don’t know why you go, but you do. When you arrive you start to notice some things.
Unlike other religions you are aware of, you do not go to a temple or holy place. You go to Peter’s place. There appears to be a lot of encouraging going on in the group before anything else happens. After a while they begin to sing. The songs sound like chants. They aren’t the best singers you have heard (musically) but they sure seem to enjoy it. Their hearts seemed to soar as they sing of God and Jesus. They almost seem to be teaching other. This happened to be a Sunday evening after you had got home from work. They began to have a ceremonial meal that they said was in memory of Jesus. You didn’t understand it but they spoke of his body and his blood. You have so many questions. One of the men starts to teach and starts reading a letter from someone they call an apostle. You don’t catch the name exactly. It sounds like Paul.
The teaching is interesting and is answering some of your questions. It seems to always focus on this Jesus who they say was resurrected from the dead. After a while someone starts to pray with his hands raised and everyone listens intently and they all say “amen” at the end. There are many languages spoken but no matter which one is used there always seems to be someone to translate so we all understand what is being said. Someone tells of a famine someone and that the “brethren” need some help. They gather a collection on money and commission someone to the task of delivering it. Then, just when you think everything is coming to an end someone else gets up and starts teaching. It seems to you that it is going to go until midnight. Your mind wanders a little from the teaching and you begin to notice that this is a varied bunch of people. There are slaves, women, wealthy, poor, Gentile, Jew, Greeks and even some Romans. The teacher seems to be preaching now and speaks of God’s love for the whole world. You have never heard of such a thing.
You ask your friend, as the meeting appears to be ending (although no one seems to be leaving), “What is the name of this group?” He tells you they wear only one name, Jesus. He says that they are called many names. Sometimes, Christians. Sometimes the church of God. Sometimes, disciples. Sometimes the way. It all seems a little vague and unorganized to you.
Do you think you would feel at home in the first century church meetings? I don’t know if I would. I like having an order of worship, the songs on the screen in shaped notes, a neat twenty-five minute lesson with a designated time for a “response”, four part harmony in the singing and the formality. That first century church sounds so different to the one I go to. In fact they never speak of going to church. What’s with that? My tongue is a bit in my cheek but I genuinely feel I would feel out of place in their assemblies. I wouldn’t be out of place because I would be with my brothers and sisters in Christ but I would feel out of place because of my unfamiliarity with their culture. Like when I went to an African American church recently. Boy, they sure did things differently to what I was used to. There wasn’t anything wrong with the differences. The eternal things were the same. The cultural things are the different things.
I know we joke about Paul using the King James Version. But for some this thinking is normal. Someone called this “present mindedness”. It is reading our present experiences into accounts of the past and thus coloring our view of the past. When it is a joke it is pretty funny. When it’s not a joke it is sad. We have to guard against reading into the accounts of the first century church our twenty-first century experience. Let the documents from the past speak for themselves. I know it makes us feel uncomfortable but that probably is not a bad thing for you and me.
All this has an extraordinary significance when we consider what church will be like. The significance is simply this. Just as our present church assemblies are different from past church assemblies in cultural ways, future assemblies will be different also. They will not differ in the eternal components but they certainly will differ in the cultural ones.
More on this in my small book, Future Church, which is on my website.
If there is a more contentious battleground, I have yet to see it. You would think there are whole chapters in the New Testament speaking of worship services, how to leader prayer, singing four part harmony, how to conduct the Communion (beyond the emblems and prayers), how long to preach, offering invitations along with invitation songs and how to make announcements. Despite all of what is said and done in the name of these things, do you know how many times these terms are mentioned in the New Testament. Not once. I may be wrong. You might find one or two verses that allude to them but you will never find a structural description of this time of worship in the New Testament.
In my mind that leads to many questions but I will only focus on one in this section. What was a gathering for worship like in past church 33 to 65 AD? The following is not an exhaustive study of this question but it is meant to give us a reasonably clear picture of a gathering of our brethren in the early church. There is one other note. The word, worship, is never used in the New Testament to describe any gathering of Christians. Is that significant? I don’t think so except to observe that even our language about this subject isn’t even biblical in its origin.
It is past church, first century. Your friend has invited to come with him to hear about Jesus. You don’t know why you go, but you do. When you arrive you start to notice some things.
Unlike other religions you are aware of, you do not go to a temple or holy place. You go to Peter’s place. There appears to be a lot of encouraging going on in the group before anything else happens. After a while they begin to sing. The songs sound like chants. They aren’t the best singers you have heard (musically) but they sure seem to enjoy it. Their hearts seemed to soar as they sing of God and Jesus. They almost seem to be teaching other. This happened to be a Sunday evening after you had got home from work. They began to have a ceremonial meal that they said was in memory of Jesus. You didn’t understand it but they spoke of his body and his blood. You have so many questions. One of the men starts to teach and starts reading a letter from someone they call an apostle. You don’t catch the name exactly. It sounds like Paul.
The teaching is interesting and is answering some of your questions. It seems to always focus on this Jesus who they say was resurrected from the dead. After a while someone starts to pray with his hands raised and everyone listens intently and they all say “amen” at the end. There are many languages spoken but no matter which one is used there always seems to be someone to translate so we all understand what is being said. Someone tells of a famine someone and that the “brethren” need some help. They gather a collection on money and commission someone to the task of delivering it. Then, just when you think everything is coming to an end someone else gets up and starts teaching. It seems to you that it is going to go until midnight. Your mind wanders a little from the teaching and you begin to notice that this is a varied bunch of people. There are slaves, women, wealthy, poor, Gentile, Jew, Greeks and even some Romans. The teacher seems to be preaching now and speaks of God’s love for the whole world. You have never heard of such a thing.
You ask your friend, as the meeting appears to be ending (although no one seems to be leaving), “What is the name of this group?” He tells you they wear only one name, Jesus. He says that they are called many names. Sometimes, Christians. Sometimes the church of God. Sometimes, disciples. Sometimes the way. It all seems a little vague and unorganized to you.
Do you think you would feel at home in the first century church meetings? I don’t know if I would. I like having an order of worship, the songs on the screen in shaped notes, a neat twenty-five minute lesson with a designated time for a “response”, four part harmony in the singing and the formality. That first century church sounds so different to the one I go to. In fact they never speak of going to church. What’s with that? My tongue is a bit in my cheek but I genuinely feel I would feel out of place in their assemblies. I wouldn’t be out of place because I would be with my brothers and sisters in Christ but I would feel out of place because of my unfamiliarity with their culture. Like when I went to an African American church recently. Boy, they sure did things differently to what I was used to. There wasn’t anything wrong with the differences. The eternal things were the same. The cultural things are the different things.
I know we joke about Paul using the King James Version. But for some this thinking is normal. Someone called this “present mindedness”. It is reading our present experiences into accounts of the past and thus coloring our view of the past. When it is a joke it is pretty funny. When it’s not a joke it is sad. We have to guard against reading into the accounts of the first century church our twenty-first century experience. Let the documents from the past speak for themselves. I know it makes us feel uncomfortable but that probably is not a bad thing for you and me.
All this has an extraordinary significance when we consider what church will be like. The significance is simply this. Just as our present church assemblies are different from past church assemblies in cultural ways, future assemblies will be different also. They will not differ in the eternal components but they certainly will differ in the cultural ones.
More on this in my small book, Future Church, which is on my website.
Is There Life After Football Season
For rabid football fans (like me) this time of year is a bitter sweet time. Superbowl is coming but that's not for two weeks and then there is nothing until next Fall. The Chargers lost the Conference championship. That's OK. They did pretty good against a team that will go down as one of NFL history's best. For those of you who aren't football freaks you are wondering about my mental stability but for those of you who are hooked on the pigskin you understand.
All I can say is, "Thank goodness for the NBA!!!". And especially the Los Angeles Lakers. They wall warm my heart in those lonely football free times. The Lakers! What a team. They lose Bynum for a month. They lose Ariza for a month at least and what do they do? The go out and absolutely outplay Denver. And Kobe didn't even get into double figures. Go Lakers. This is the year. I have a feeling.
And for those of you who think I need to get a life, you are right, but I don't care. Go Lakers
All I can say is, "Thank goodness for the NBA!!!". And especially the Los Angeles Lakers. They wall warm my heart in those lonely football free times. The Lakers! What a team. They lose Bynum for a month. They lose Ariza for a month at least and what do they do? The go out and absolutely outplay Denver. And Kobe didn't even get into double figures. Go Lakers. This is the year. I have a feeling.
And for those of you who think I need to get a life, you are right, but I don't care. Go Lakers
Strange Things in Worship
God desires that we worship Him and Him alone (Luke 4:8). He never limits it to a certain place or time (John 4:21-24). However he has told us what He has always desired when we worship Him.
A broken and contrite heart (Psalms 51:17)
Cheerfulness (2 Corinthians 9:7)
Singing from the heart (Ephesians 5:19)
Intense love for God (Matthew 22:37)
Focus on Jesus (Hebrews 12:2)
Spirit filled prayers (Ephesians 6:18)
Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23)
Praise (Ephesians 1:6,12,14)
Yet, many times, it is these things are absent when we worship. Don’t let these things be strange things in worship. Let them be common. As we worship the Father, through the Son and in the Holy Spirit today let us do so in the way that God has asked us. Let our outward actions be a reflection of our hearts as we try to express ourselves in worship of Him who alone is worthy of worship.
Besides all this, God asks (actually commands) that the main thing that we bring to Him as a sacrifice in worship is ourselves. “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship.” Romans 12:1. Here is your act of worship. Don’t offer anything less to Him who has given Himself totally to you.
I love the picture of heaven in Revelation 5:12, 13, “In a loud voice they sang: “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!” Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing: “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!”” Let it be that way in Christ’s church. Let it be that way in our hearts. Let’s give Him the glory, the honor and the praise!
A broken and contrite heart (Psalms 51:17)
Cheerfulness (2 Corinthians 9:7)
Singing from the heart (Ephesians 5:19)
Intense love for God (Matthew 22:37)
Focus on Jesus (Hebrews 12:2)
Spirit filled prayers (Ephesians 6:18)
Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23)
Praise (Ephesians 1:6,12,14)
Yet, many times, it is these things are absent when we worship. Don’t let these things be strange things in worship. Let them be common. As we worship the Father, through the Son and in the Holy Spirit today let us do so in the way that God has asked us. Let our outward actions be a reflection of our hearts as we try to express ourselves in worship of Him who alone is worthy of worship.
Besides all this, God asks (actually commands) that the main thing that we bring to Him as a sacrifice in worship is ourselves. “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship.” Romans 12:1. Here is your act of worship. Don’t offer anything less to Him who has given Himself totally to you.
I love the picture of heaven in Revelation 5:12, 13, “In a loud voice they sang: “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!” Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing: “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!”” Let it be that way in Christ’s church. Let it be that way in our hearts. Let’s give Him the glory, the honor and the praise!
Sports
I am a bit of sports freak. In fact if there is a ball involved I will watch it. Two of my favourite sports teams are the San Diego Chargers (NFL football) and the Los Angeles Lakers (NBA basketball). They are both doing great.
Last Sunday the Chargers won their first playoff game in years and will be in the AFC Conference championship game next week. The problem is that they will be playing the perfect season New England Patriots. No team has ever won as many games in one season as they have. Well, the bigger they are, the harder they fall.
The Lakers are having one of the better seasons in years and tonight capped a 7 game winning streak even without their awesome centre, Andre Bynum. Looks like we are playoff bound.
Isn't life good when your team is winning?
Last Sunday the Chargers won their first playoff game in years and will be in the AFC Conference championship game next week. The problem is that they will be playing the perfect season New England Patriots. No team has ever won as many games in one season as they have. Well, the bigger they are, the harder they fall.
The Lakers are having one of the better seasons in years and tonight capped a 7 game winning streak even without their awesome centre, Andre Bynum. Looks like we are playoff bound.
Isn't life good when your team is winning?
GRACE CAFE
The young adults group at the Glendale Church where I work is starting a ministry called Grace Cafe. It will take place occasionally at a special constructed part of the Glendale church building. It is designed to both give young Christians a venue to meet other young Christians as well as give us a place to bring visitors who may not be ready to come to church.
Have any of you out there had any experience in this sort of ministry or know of anyone who has? Can you point me in some direction? It would be very helpful.
The first one is February 9th, 7-11 pm, at 2021 W. Glenoaks Blvd, Glendale, CA 91201. If you are in the area, why not drop in?
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